Respirator.



C. TRAVERS.

RESPIRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED IuILY I6. I9I4.

LQQLM@ Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

` ized charcoal and the like.

RESPIRATOR.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented am. s, mit.

Application iled July 16, 1914. Serial No. 851,333.

To all whom t may concern.' l

.Be it known that I, CARL TRAVERS, manager, a resident of Frankenholz,near MittelbeXbach, Palatinate, German Empire,lhave invented certain newand useful Improvements in Respirators, of whichthe following is aspecification.

This invention relates to respirators and pertains particularly torespirators of novel construction which effectively prevent dust, smoke,disagreeable odors and injurious gases from passing into the lungs. Inaddition to this main object care has been taken to make the novelrespirator compendious and of little weight and of such a shape as toallow of carrying it easily and securely during use. Another obj ect ofmy' invention is to produce a respirator which is adapted for theapeuticpurposes and' for use rby physicians, sick room and hospital attendants.y

I-Ieretofore respirators have` been constructed in which the air to bepurified was passed through a filtering medium such as cotton, spongyand fibrous material, pulver- Sometimes the air was conducted through anumber of nets, arranged at a certain distance from each other orsuperposed partitions -were employed with moist fabric so arranged as toform a long passage through which the air passed in a Zig-zag line forretaining the dust.

rIhe described devices suffer from various defects. A filtering mediumprevents easy breathing and a long passage is undesirable for obviousreasons.

'lhe present invention has for its special purpose to overcome thedescribed defects. This has been primarily attained by using walls orpartitions within the respirator having rough and moist surfacesprovided with a plurality of fine openings so arranged that thepartitions are but a small distance from each other. The openings arestaggered so that the air, when passing through the respirator, mustimpinge upon the rough and moist surfaces of the partitions locatedopposite the said openings. The free passages formed between thepartitions are very short whereby any undue resistance is avoided. Forordinary purposes water may be used for wetting the rough surfaces ofthe inner mechanism because dust and the like adheres and sticks to themoist surfaces. However if the respirator is to be worn in places whereinjurious or poisonous gases arise, such as for instance vammonia vaporsor acid fumes, then suitable liquids are used for wetting the innerrough surfaces according to requirement. The inrushing air passingthrough a plurality of openings is divided into a plurality of linestreams which facilitate its purification before being inhaled.

lThis receptacle is purposed to be put on the upper lip and worn therewhen the respirator is in use. rIhe bottom o of the receptacle is hingedas shown at c to permit of opening lthe device and a snap lock Z at theopposite side secures the bottom to the respirator.

According to the present invention the receptacle houses a plurality ofpartitions e which are connected to each other. To render the surfacesof these partitions adapted to be wetted or soaked they are covered withtextile fabric f or other absorbing material. Fine openings el, f1 areprovided within the partitions which openings are staggered. rIhedistance between the partitions is very small, as may be seen from Figs.1 and 4.

Practice has proven that the inrushing air, ywhile passing through theapparatus, is perfectly purified and excellent for breathing. As shownin Figs. 1 and 4L the air passages g, formed between the partitions arerather small therefore the purification of the air is less effectedwhile passing along these passages' than by the quick and easy flow ofthe air through the openings el, f1.

The top wall a1 of the receptacle ct is provided with small tubings a2each intended to be connected with a short tube 71, of rubber or anyother suitable material. At the end of each tube a small oval end piece72,1 is formed for the nostrils. These end pieces may be provided neartheir ends each with a circular groove h2, into which a woolen y hollowcylindrical'neck b1, closed by a cylin- Y air entering the inner spaceof the receptacle drical filter sack i composed of fabric or thev like.A ribbon or band is employed for fixing the apparatus in position foruse and this band is attached to the receptacle by suitable means suchas projections or press buttons, preferably on the side next the face ofthe wearer.

' When the device is to be. used the frame e covered as shown, is dippedin water or other suitable liquidY which is absorbed by the covering f.The frame is then placed in position within the receptacle a by openingthe base Z and then the snap lock d is closed. rlhe apparatus is now xedtothe head of the wearer with the nipples 71,1 placed into the nostrils.The coarse particles contained in the air areV held back by the filterz' through which the air must flow first. The

` a; is divided into a plurality of fine streams passing the openings f1and e1 and then impinging upon the opposite wall of the cover f ispurified. The puried air passes then -through the nipples h1 and isinhaled.

It may be observed that the frame must inserted air tight into the wallsof the receptacle to prevent the air from passing directly to thenipples h1.

The exhaled air passes from the lungs out over the same course of theapparatus. No special Vpassages and non-return valves or other means arerequired as is necessary in other known apparatus serving the samepurpose.

By virtue of the present construction of they respirator the path forthe air to be purified has become very short, which'preserntsV aY greatadvantage, namely to easily breathe-out the air over the same pathV overwhichit is drawn in. In order to facilitate the discharge 'of thevitiated air from the nostrils into the apparatus there are provideddeflecting members such as blades as causing the discharging air to flowlaterally toward and into the holes f1 and e1.

Y There are, as 'it may be easily understood, a great number ofconstructions and modifications of the apparatus'suitable for carryingthe hereinbefore described method into effect: for instance, the basemay be provided with side walls, thus forming a separate casing, and putover the casing a; in this case the holders may be fastened to the saidside walls. There may be used two or even Ymore receptacles instead ofonly one.Y Various covering materials may be '6 used for instance wool,annel, cellulose, po-

rous materialas natural or articial sponge Ainrushing and exhaled aircomprising a receptacle, a plurality of parallel partitions tight withinthe receptacle in close proximity to each other and provided with rough,moist surfaces and a plurality of staggered openings, a fabric filter atvthe bottom of the receptacle, and nostril nipples arranged at the topof the same.

2. A respirator with short path for the inrushing and exhaled aircomprising a receptacle, a plurality of parallel partitions tight withinthe receptacle in close' proximity to each other and provided withfabric covered rough, moist surfaces and a plurality of staggeredopenings, a neck at the bottom of the receptacle, a fabric filter on thesaid neck, and movable nostril pieces at the top of the receptacle.

3. A respirator with one short path for both the inrushing and exhaledair compris- Ving a receptacle, a plurality of parallel partitions tightwithin the receptacle in close proximity to each other and provided withrough, moist surfaces and a plurality of staggered openings, a fabricfilter at the bottom of the receptacle, and nostril nipples arranged atthe top of the same.

4. A respirator with one short path for both the inrushing and exhaledair comprising a receptacle, a plurality of parallel partitions tightwithin the receptacle in close proximity to each other and provided withfabric covered, rough, moist surfaces and a plurality of staggeredopenings, a neck at the bottom of the receptacle, a fabric filter on thesaid neck, and movable nostril nipples arranged at the top of thereceptacle.

5. A respirator with short path for the inrushing and exhaled aircomprising a receptacle curved to fit the upper lip of the user, ahinged bottom portion on the rcceptacle, an air inlet thereon, aremovable frame tight within the receptacle and composed of a pluralityof partitions in close proximity to each other and provided with rough,moist surfaces and a plurality of small staggered openings thus forcingthe inrushing air to impinge upon the moist surfaces of the frame, andtwo nostril nipples with iexible connections at the top of thereceptacle-for inhaling the purified and exhaling the vitiated air.

6. A respirator with one short path for both the inrushing and exhaledair comprising a curved receptacle, a removable frame tight therein,composed of a plurality of parallel partitions in close proximity toeach In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set other and provided withrough, moist surmy hzmd 1n the presence of tWo Witnesses.

feces and a plurality of staggered openings,

an air inlet at the bottom of the receptacle, CARL TRAVERS two nostrilpieces at its top, and air delect- Witnesses:

ing 'plates Within, below the said pieces, for FRITZ BERG,

cleecting the vitiated air. H. MERLE COCHRAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1D. C.

